Buffalo Chicken Bean Salad (Printable)

Chickpeas tossed in spicy buffalo sauce with celery, carrots, and tangy blue cheese for a flavorful, protein-packed dish.

# What you'll need:

→ Beans & Legumes

01 - 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cups mixed salad greens (optional)

→ Sauce & Cheese

06 - 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt
08 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

→ Garnish

09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How to make it:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine chickpeas, diced carrots, celery, and finely chopped red onion.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together buffalo wing sauce and mayonnaise or Greek yogurt until smooth.
03 - Pour the buffalo sauce mixture over the chickpea and vegetable blend. Toss thoroughly to ensure even coating.
04 - Gently fold in half of the crumbled blue cheese into the mixture.
05 - Distribute salad greens, if using, among serving plates. Top with the buffalo chickpea mixture.
06 - Sprinkle remaining blue cheese and chopped fresh parsley over the top. Serve immediately.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes, no cooking required, which means you can make it on a Tuesday night without any fuss.
  • The protein from the chickpeas keeps you satisfied, so this isn't just a side salad pretending to be dinner.
  • Buffalo sauce fans will recognize that unmistakable kick, but the vegetables soften it into something you could honestly eat every week.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned chickpeas—that starchy liquid makes everything taste muted and heavy.
  • The salad greens will start wilting after a few hours if the buffalo mixture is on top, so either dress them separately or serve everything together in a bowl and eat it fresh.
03 -
  • The sauce-to-mayo ratio is flexible—if you like things spicier, use more sauce; if you're sensitive to heat, lean heavier on the mayo or Greek yogurt.
  • Crumble your blue cheese fresh rather than using pre-crumbled if you can, because it melts slightly into the warm salad and makes everything creamier.
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